


Look for me in the white forest

by Perching_Owl



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Aftermath of a Battle, Angst, Blood and Injury, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Snow, Trail of Blood, Whump, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:01:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26879383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perching_Owl/pseuds/Perching_Owl
Summary: That leaves him with no options but to fight. He turns, raising Siegfried. He glances upwards, counting five Kinshi knights - their faces obscured by black clothes.Assassins.Of course, they are, Xander readies his sword. His eyes narrow. If they are going to kill him, so be it. But he is going down fighting. For a brief moment, he thinks of Ryoma, but he pushes those thoughts aside.
Relationships: Marx | Xander/Ryoma
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29
Collections: Perching_Owl's Whumptober 2020 Collection





	Look for me in the white forest

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted to write a fic for Ryoma/Xander - and still might have a longer work in the making somewhere. But this one is the tenth fill for the [whumptober 2020](https://whumptober2020.tumblr.com/)! I can't believe I managed to write this much in essentially two months. Anyway, please enjoy! 
> 
> No 10. THEY LOOK SO PRETTY WHEN THEY BLEED: **Blood Loss** | Internal Bleeding | **Trail of Blood**
> 
> Here is the [ Link](https://whumptober2020.tumblr.com/post/628055505485561856/whumptober-2020-updated) for the upcoming prompts.
> 
> Title is taken from 'My last breath' by Evanescence.

Xander is riding hard, Equus eating up the miles below its hooves, hot puffs of air coming from his horse's mouth and his own. He has leaned over Equus' neck. The hooves are thundering below on the ground. The forest rushes past, white covering the pine trees, some falling off as he gallops past. In front of him the path twists and turns. 

An arrow rushes past, far from above, and he curses. He needs to get out of the trees so he can use Siegfried. As fast as he can, he hurries Equus on, a breakneck pace. He doesn't even know where he is. Maybe he has even strayed into Hoshido. Either way, he needs the open field to engage the archers into a fight. He believes they are Kinshi knights.

There, in the distance- He can see the forest growing lighter. He urges Equus on. 

Another salve of arrows flies past him. He leans down further on his horse, cowering over his neck. Equus neighs then panicked and bucks. Xander holds onto the reigns tighter. He tries to hold on, but Equus is bucking again. He spots an arrow having pierced skin on the shoulder of Equus. He leans forward to pull it out, shallow as it is. 

Taking one hand off the reigns is a mistake. Just as he is leaning forward, an arrow buries itself in the slit of his armour between his chest piece and arm. It hurts as he overbalances. He slips off, tumbling forward. 

For a moment time runs slower. 

He falls forward, Equus' hooves continuing on. They miss his head by a few inches. With one hand, Xander tries to roll off, to protect himself. He tries to hold onto the reigns with the other. They slip from his hands. 

Then he meets the ground. 

Pain explodes from where he lands on his wrist and his shoulder, the one already pierced by the arrow. He rolls off the rest of his body, but his armour is heavy. It cuts into his body, a sharp rock connects with his ribs, knocking the breath from him. A cracking sounds through his body. Broken rib his head supplies. 

Xander comes to a rest. He tries to catch his breath, but everything hurts. His breathing is harsh in the quiet forests, pain radiating from his ribs and chest. He coughs, blood dripping from his lips onto the snow. He gets on his knees, then stands up. Equus continues on, galloping on in the distance. 

That leaves him with no options but to fight. He turns, raising Siegfried. He glances upwards, counting five Kinshi knights - their faces obscured by black clothes. 

Assassins. 

Of course, they are, Xander readies his sword. His eyes narrow. If they are going to kill him, so be it. But he is going down fighting. For a brief moment, he thinks of Ryoma, but he pushes those thoughts aside.

* * *

'Lord Ryoma, there is a trail of blood,' Kagero has moved up to him, her expression serious, worried even. Saizo steps up to them as well, having caught Equus reigns. 

Ryoma's expression darkens even further. Where is Xander? They have caught his horse, bleeding from an arrow wound on his shoulder, galloping, eyes wide. Saizo had been quick enough to catch him, but now remains the question of where Xander is. 

'We are going to find him, my lord,' mutters Kagero. She doesn't add alive. 

Ryoma gives them a quick nod, 'Show me.' 

Kagero leads them along further the path, closer to the forest. His gaze is trained on the ground. He can see hooves, strong impressions - a horse with a rider. There, the snow is disturbed as if someone has fallen off. He walks further on, unsheathing Raijinto. The hoof prints continue, but lighter. They have to be Equus' though Ryoma isn't quite sure. 

There is blood in his snow. 

His heart grows as cold as the air around them. 

Without turning, he speaks over his shoulder, 'Kagero, Saizo - get a healer up here. Preferably Sakura.' 

Behind him, they mutter, 'Yes, my lord.' 

Equus' hooves are the only sounds he hears as they leave. 

There are footsteps in the snow, leading towards a clearing. His steps quicken as he follows them. It's obvious a fight has happened here. The snow is displaced, a large area cleared by wing flaps, others by people fighting. 

He counts five human bodies, another two are Kinshi. Neither of them wears back armour though, only black cloth. There is a trail of blood in the snow. It's leading away from the battlefield. Snow is drifting towards the ground, covering the trail. 

His eyes fall on Siegfried first, the sword thrust into the ground, its dark aura pulsating around it. Even without the aura, he would be able to recognise it anywhere - the broad black blade, the hilt intertwined with gold and the red ruby at its centre. Xander wouldn't leave it behind. 

A frown appears on Ryoma's face. 

His eyes follow to where Siegfried has been stuck in the snow, tip either in the ground or the snow. An armoured glove is leaning against the blade as if someone had reached for its hilt, but didn't have the strength to continue. Ryoma spots the lilac cape second, partially obscured by snow already. His eyes widen. A trail of blood leads towards a figure, clad in dark armour, the cape lying over the body like a shroud. He isn't moving. Snow has settled over him. 

He stares. For a long moment he just stares, then Ryoma rushes forward, 'Xander.' 

Xander is not moving.

Ryoma sinks down next to him, his mouth dry. No, it cannot be - Xander cannot be dead, not after a simple scuffle, not like this, no! With trembling hands, he reaches out to brush the snow of Xander's face. His eyes are closed as if in sleep, his blond hair is falling into his pale forehead. 

'No,' Ryoma mutters, then whispers, 'Xander, please-' He brushes again over Xander's colourless face, as white as the snow around him. The skin is cold to the touch. Sorrow washes over him, grief so strong, he can scarcely breathe. He wants to scream, to shout, to wake Xander up. It cannot be Xander- no, they had so little time- 

Xander's eyelids flutter, a soft moan passing his lips, and Ryoma spots blood dripping from it. He coughs then, harsh and painful, blood spraying on the snow, red on white. Shivers are starting to wreak his body. His teeth clattering and Xander tries to reach out, to move, his lips forming inaudible words. 

'Xander,' Ryoma calls out, relief washing over him. He can see Xander is not in a good way, but at least he is alive. He reaches out, a hand underneath Xander's head and with the other turning over, so he is resting in Ryoma's warm arms against his chest. As he is moved, Xander groans, filled with pain, which trails off into a whimper. He coughs again, lips red, and Ryoma wipes them off. 

'Ry-' Xander frowns, his gaze still unfocused. 

'Yes, it's me,' Ryoma mutters back, 'We are going to get you to a healer. It's going to be fine.' 

Xander smiles then, a soft expression passing over his face, 'I know.' For the next words, Ryoma has to listen closely, 'if someone would be able to find me, I knew it would be you, my heart.' 

Ryoma places a kiss on his forehead, 'I value your trust.' 

He hopes it isn't misplaced, hopes fervently Kagero and Saizo will arrive with a healer soon. There is nothing he can do, just hold onto a shivering Xander in his arms. He pulls him up and closer, Xander's head coming to a rest against his shoulder, and a groan escapes the Nohrian king. 

It's only when he hears people calling for them in the distance, he breathes easier, fingers brushing over Xander's cold skin, keeping the snow off his face while Xander coughs weakly, blood dripping from his mouth. 

It's going to be fine.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos appreciated - hoped you enjoyed my writing :)


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